Annemieke from A DANCE WITH BOOKS counted the books on her shelves a couple of days ago, and that inspired me to take a look at my digital shelves. I'll count my physical books when the spring cleaning bug hits me.

I was surprised how many books had different covers from when I bought them. Quite a few now have bare-chested muscle men, some with swooning women in their arms, as cover art. Those are the ones I probably won't end up reading. It's a good thing most of those were freebies. And, in defense of my staggering ARC pile, a good portion of them are "read nows" that have no archive dates, so I am not feeling guilty about those, ha ha.

We might have snow today and tomorrow. Yikes!

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I wanted to mention something that happened on Facebook. Some people don't talk about many, if any, close personal issues on the public side of social media. In fact, most of my friends either don't let on about their heavier problems, and some none at all, except in private messaging. For that reason, we have to be careful about being harsh with people in comments and replies, I mean they are supposed to be our friends, right?

This was my profile pic from Facebook. Someone who lives in my city, with no friends in common, shared it to his timeline with the Facebook activities byline, "meeting new people". Yes, I know the photo doesn't show my face, but I was solidly creeped out. Most of that came from the fact that my current address is still in all phone directories because I haven't moved since we had a landline, and because Baz Manchild is such a social butterfly I am home alone most of the time. I mentioned I was creeped out about it on Facebook and one of my friends went on a tirade in the comments basically saying so what, that's social media, and giving me an un-needed Facebook tutorial about privacy settings making me look like a cyber idiot, and then she and her father started tag-teaming in the comments. All I said was I was creeped out, so was all that necessary? No, and it started sending me to a very dark lonely place. Here I am saying in so many words, "Hey, friends, I feel unsafe and I am a little upset right now" and instead of supportive comments like, "yeah, that is creepy" as everyone else gave me, I get body slam tag-teamed with, "well, what do you expect, stupid girl," by the two of them. I cried myself to sleep.

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Now, back to my original point... normally I would have sluffed it off, but there has been "stuff" going on at work, plus the local political activist group I belonged to that was doing some great work was somehow stealthily taken over by a little clique of clueless older (well around my age) women who are the queens of passive agressive and they were constantly on me yesterday (and I dropped out of the group), and I have some physical issues that are sometimes next to nothing and at other times extremely debilitating (I have been dealing with the extreme side lately) - the perfect storm to feel vulnerable. So be kind and supportive towards your friends on social media because some aren't comfortable with revealing certain things and you never know what might be the straw that breaks the camel's back. Although, if I am being a straight up a$s#ol€, you can let me know that, though, ha ha, just be gentle. I would also like to thank Annemieke because she sends me cute pictures and videos of her son and they always lift my spirits.

This was a "Wish For It" and I was surprised I got it because Disney Hyperion has declined me for every title I have requested from them on Netgalley, and there have been quite a few. It publishes in September.

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Hello! I am a 59 year old reader of books, many of which are YA, and literacy volunteer. I am retired from the music business, have a 25 year old son at university, believe in ghosts, and love a couple of martinis on Friday nights.

HIGHLIGHTS

Brilliant! The Imagery was stellar and the story was relatable. This would make a wonderful anime. What a spectacular way to finish up my year in reading! I was approved for this eARC , via Netgalley, in return for an honest review. I wi...

4.5 on my blog. The book gets right into the action aided by a new POV character. This new character who travels to a new, and important, location within the story is what keeps this dystopian clear of second book syndrome. Don't worry, ...

I think every teen should read this book.
4.5 stars on my blog. Why not a perfect five stars? Because I was bored out of my skull for the first 30% of this book. However, the last 50% is so much more than fabulous it almost totally made...

4.5 Stars on my blog. I accidentally requested this title on Edelweiss thinking it was The Fixer, and I am extremely happy I did! This book dealt with several sensitive issues that affect many young adults, and did it in a realistic way....

This book is spectacular! It follows a single building in Paris from 1300 to modern day. You see the building go through structural changes brought on by fires and rebuilding, changes in architectural "fashion" and upgrades, and bombing ...

Okay Goodreads, you had better be getting back to me about why my reviews are missing. Here is #12. I will have to go and copy and paste my Netgalley feedback, which was highly praising of this book, by the way!

Ha ha ha, 6.5 out of 5 on my blog if I could! This is probably the best Adult Fantasy book I have read... in my life! My review, if you like fantasy, JUST READ IT. READ IT NOW! NOW!
I have never put a gif in a Goodreads mini-review, but...

4.5 stars on my blog only because she fumbled around a little at the end to tie all plot threads together and also forgot one. An intricately woven Adult Fantasy about the origin of tarot cards, based in our modern world and an alternate...

4.5 on my blog. This book was entertaining as well as informative. The city was based on a real city that existed in Hong Kong before 1987. I have a lot of thoughts about this book and will be back to add to this mini-reciew at a decent ...

Ths is the very first time I am not going to give a book a star rating. Why? Because as an adult reading this story I LOVED IT and would give it 4.5 on my blog.
But as a Middle Grade... NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!! IT I...

To quote one of my favorite authors, Kristen Lippert-Martin, "The weirdest book I ever loved."
WARNING: This novel is not about sandcastles and ninjas.
* I think I will join Elizabeth for some popcorn and pudding.

Four stars on my blog. Why the whole star difference? Well, I know I doesn't help much, but what's up with those 2 stars ratings people?! I haven't read their reasons yet, but I will bet they are those dunderheads that say they don't lik...

4.5 stars on the blog only because there were so many secondary characters I was confused at times, until the late 25% of the book. Lol. Yeah, too many parents called by their first names. This novel has been called a story within a stor...

Um... this is the third time since the beginning of the year that there has been a disappearing rating and mini-review. I know the reviews were here because all three of them were pasted to either EW, NetG, or Amazon (sometimes all three...

This book was actually a 4 1/2, but it was one I didn't want to round down because I loved it so much. As I said in my comments it reminded me of The Casual Vacancy in style, but far less serious. It was basically a read in one sitting b...

This novel has everything I look for in a YA Fantasy story. The author gives a solid history base for the world, no-nonsense physics rules for the environment, original images, just the right amount of description for the setting to ligh...

HIGHLIGHTS

This will be 4.5 stars on my blog only because I loved the second book in this trilogy even MORE! I loved these books so much I bought all three in hardcover for my shelves. As soon as I finish the final book I will be reviewing the tril...

I will be reviewing this trilogy as a whole on my blog soon. The first two books I read pre-blogging, and I have a huge list of those early YA books which need to be reviewed. Thank goodness I read mostly series and I can review those ea...

4.5 on my blog only because I loved the second book so much. Please don't let the covers of this trilogy fool you, they are not Romance novels, I get so tired of seeing fabulous YA stories rated one and two stars because they aren't drip...

4.5 stars on my blog. I can't believe I hadn't reviewed this here yet! I am waiting to read all three books to do a blanket review on my blog because it is an older book, and the third book is supposed to be published in the US soon (it ...

This is a hidden jewel! I found this book in paperback on a $1.00 book rack at Dollar General. After I started my book blog I began scouring all of the Dollar Generals in my area for other copies to have as giveaways, but it was to no av...

See the 4 1/2 star review, with gifs and fandom links, on my blog here ----> http://lalatoadstone.blogspot.com/2014/01/splintered-my-first-blog-review.html
I was introduced to this book by two 13 year olds, Rabbit and Whisper, from a bo...

Refreshingly real and gritty! No kissy facing or love triangles; just in your face life in a dystopian world. Fen is a strong and courageous heroine, who tugs at your heart and amazes you with her facility to be both warrior and gentle c...

I would give this novel 5 and 1/2 stars if I could. What is solidifying about this review is I came into reading this book wanting to hate it because of all of the "funny business" surrounding it's pre-publication. I was pretty smug duri...

4.5 stars on my blog. After reading the first chapter I thought it was going to be just another "cookie cutter" YA Dystopian novel, but I couldn't have been more wrong!! Ms. Kipling imagines a very unique and thought provoking dystopian ...

A delightful, delicious, charming, heart-warming Middle Grade book with a message. It was like Steel Magnolias meets Diary of a Wimpy Kid wrapped up in Cinderella. This sounds so cliche, but I literally could not put it down, and I pulle...

Drum roll please...
One of my rare five star ratings!!!!
This book was exquisite, and I will be back after I have had a chance to let all of its deliciousness sink in. Brava, M.R. Graham for penning a vampire book to rival all vampire ...

I will be back with a review of this lovely book. I wanted to rate it as soon as I was finished and give it a "must read" nod. This was my first experience with Contemporary YA and it was a fabulous one! Here is the link to my full blog ...

A smooth luxurious read. I was just about finished with a full long review of this beautiful novel when the Goodread's tab dropped out, and I lost it all (damn Kindle Fire HD). I am so upset right now I can not bring myself to start over...

4.5 stars on my blog. I am so in love with this story. I was in a horrible reading slump when I picked this book up. It was probably the fifth or sixth book I had tried. I wasn't expecting to become fully engaged within the first few pag...

Well, I wrote a pretty good sized mini-review here and while I was proof reading, it jumped to another page and *poof*, all gone. I am so red-faced and fist angry right now I can't rewrite it, so... I will just say READ THIS BOOK!!! It i...